12 Quirky Valentine's Day Trends Revealed

From dating timelines to texting during sex, a look at the latest V-Day habits

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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From dating timelines to texting during sex, a new report reveals some surprising Valentine's Day trends, including the best and worst cities to celebrate, common relationship arguments, and how Gen Z is changing the holiday.

Why it matters

As Valentine's Day approaches, this data provides insight into the evolving attitudes and behaviors around the holiday, highlighting how traditions are shifting, especially among younger generations.

The details

The report covers a range of Valentine's Day-related topics, including the top 'red flags' and 'green flags' for dinner dates, who is typically responsible for planning V-Day activities, the cheapest and most expensive cities to celebrate, and the U.S. cities with the highest odds of 'heartbreak'. It also looks at chocolate-buying habits, dating timelines, single celebration plans, and the surprising social media and intimacy behaviors of college students.

  • Valentine's Day is tomorrow, February 14, 2026.

The players

OpenTable

An online restaurant reservation service.

Gen Z

The generation born between the late 1990s and early 2010s.

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The takeaway

This report highlights the evolving nature of Valentine's Day, with younger generations leading a shift towards celebrating all relationships, not just romantic ones. It also reveals some surprising dating and intimacy trends, particularly among college students, that provide a window into how modern romance is changing.